Dear Heloise: There has been a debate going on at my house about onions, of all things. My kids hate eating them, but my husband and I love them in several dishes. I feel it adds flavor and a little “perkiness” to otherwise dull dishes. Any hints on how to get my 7- and 11-year-old kids to eat them? — Brianna N., Schenectady, New York

Brianna, onions are packed with vitamins C and B6, iron, potassium and fiber. They have sulfur-enriched amino acids that aid in detoxing the liver. It’s believed that onions help regulate blood sugar levels and contain antibacterial properties. If your children knew all of this, perhaps they might see the value of eating onions.

In time, their tastes will change, and they’ll probably eat more onions and enjoy the flavor that they add to many dishes. — Heloise

Send a great hint to:

Heloise@Heloise.com

Dear Heloise: My vacuum, which was only 8 months old, stopped picking up small particles and simply wasn’t performing very well. I took it back to the store where I bought it to see what was wrong with it.

Turns out, my vacuum has two filters, and I forgot to take them out and clean them. Now I make a point of taking them out (it’s very simple to do) and rinsing or soaking them in dish soap and vinegar. Then I just set them outside to dry. My vacuum is doing its job now. — Hallie T., Greenwood, S.C.

Dear Heloise: A while back, a lady asked you for advice on what to do with family heirlooms that no one in her current family wanted. We had the same problem. Our ancestors lived in a very small town at the time and were a bit prominent there. Now the town is quite large and has their own museum. We contacted the museum, and they were absolutely thrilled to take our old stuff. — JoAnn, in Ventura, Calif.

JoAnn, another place that usually will take some, if not all, of your family items from long ago are theaters that put on live productions. I have friends who have acted in local theaters, and they often need old clothes or furniture to help capture the time or place of the story they’re telling.

There are also charity shops and some antique stores that will take some items on consignment. And, of course, there’s always a good ol’ “yard sale.” — Heloise

Dear Heloise: My hint is about recycling junk mail. I open all mail, and when I see an 8-by-11-inch letter, I check the back. If it is blank,

I’ll use it in my printer. I haven’t had to buy a pack of letter paper in years. — D., in Ohio